Digital Innovation and the Representation of Natural Objects: The Role of Physicality

Digital innovation is increasingly shaped by the blurred boundaries between physical and digital realities. However, digital innovation scholarship has primarily focused on artificial objects, largely overlooking the role of natural objects in digital innovation processes. To address this knowledge gap, we report a qualitative case study of a Swedish forestry firm’s efforts to digitally represent natural objects and offer news forms of value to their customers. Our findings indicate that three key characteristics of natural objects – locus of control, pace, and multi-functionality – shape digital innovation processes.